Cricket Coach Found Guilty in Second Sexual Assault Case; Special POCSO Court to Announce Verdict Tomorrow 

Thiruvananthapuram: A Special Fast Track Court in Thiruvananthapuram has convicted a 40-year-old cricket coach, identified as Manu M., a resident of Sreevarahom, in a second case involving the sexual abuse of a minor girl student. The survivor had originally joined a prominent local cricket coaching centre in 2018. Taking advantage of his position, the accused allegedly lured the minor to the facility’s gymnasium and restrooms under the pretext of regular athletic training to sexually assault her. When the girl resisted his advances, she was denied proper coaching, eventually forcing her to leave the academy in 2019.  

The systemic abuse came to light years later in 2024, during a girls’ cricket tournament in Thiruvananthapuram, when the victim spotted the coach, panicked, and raised an alarm. Her brave confrontation encouraged five other former trainees who suffered similar abuse to step forward, leading to the registration of six separate cases against the coach. The coach had already been convicted and sentenced to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment in the first case in May 2026. Fast Track Special Court Judge Anju Meera Birla, after concluding trials in this second case, found him guilty on multiple counts, including charges related to attempted rape and slated the final sentencing for tomorrow.  

Legal Significance 

The legal significance of this adjudication emphasizes the strict application of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 alongside relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The prosecution successfully invoked statutory provisions pertaining to Sexual Assault and Attempted Rape committed against a minor child. Because the perpetrator operated within a position of professional authority, trust, and guardianship over the child trainee, his actions legally fall under the domain of aggravated offenses, which carry significantly heightened penal mandates, including extensive rigorous imprisonment.  

Additionally, this conviction highlights the critical evidentiary weight of delayed disclosures in child abuse litigation. Under the POCSO framework, a delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR) does not compromise the credibility of the prosecution’s case if the silence is rooted in intimidation. The court took serious note of the coach leveraging his institutional authority to threaten and compromise the victims’ prospective athletic careers. This second conviction, alongside four completed trials out of six total registered cases, underscores judicial intolerance toward the systemic exploitation of minors within sports training academies.  

📰 Source: Asianet News (English)